ᐅ Floor plan of a family home in an edge location with unobstructed views
Created on: 2 Jun 2021 11:00
K
Kati2022
We are (almost) ready. The desired building plot is reserved, and the house planning can begin.
We will be building with a (related) architect and will tender all trades ourselves. We are aware that this approach involves significant time and financial risks, but we want to take the chance.
It is meant to be our dream house, and we want to be able to decide ourselves how it will look.
Our architect suggested that we first draw our own ideas of how we imagine the house and what is important to us. Afterwards, we will sit down together and analyze the plan step by step.
After days of drawing, I have “designed” a floor plan that our whole family is quite satisfied with.
Here are some details:
Zoning Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 519m2 (5,585 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: not specified
Building window, building line, and boundary – marked with red lines on the picture
Border development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: gable roof, hip roof, half-hip roof
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum heights/limits
Additional requirements
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern barn style, gable roof without overhang
Basement, floors: no basement, 1.5 floors
Number of occupants, ages: 2+2 (6, 9 years old)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? Office with sofa bed
Guest stays per year: approx. 10 days
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6-10 (when guests are present)
Fireplace: not essential
Music/sound system wall
Balcony, roof terrace: not necessary, possibly in the bedroom
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be included
House Design
Planner:
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-yourself: yes
What do you especially like? Why? Office and WC with the possibility to convert them into a separate living unit (for old age), kitchen island in the middle of the room, back kitchen so appliances don’t have to be on the island, large windows on the undeveloped side, stairs in the living room instead of in a hallway, large master area on the upper floor.
What do you dislike? Why? No double garage due to space constraints. We don’t want to shift the house too far south.
Cost estimate by architect/planner: ???
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures: 600,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump (deep drilling is not allowed due to water protection zone)
If you have to give up certain details/features:
- Can give up: slightly smaller office. However, I like the option of converting the office and WC into a second living unit (for grown children, caregiver, bedroom in old age).
- Cannot give up: open kitchen, back kitchen, large windows to the southwest
Why does the design look the way it does?
I created the design completely independently. A modern, open style is important to us. Since there is an unobstructed view to the west of fields and vineyards, we want to make use of this with large windows.
A separate master area would be very welcome. A luxury bathroom as in this plan would, of course, be a highlight.
An attic is planned for additional storage space.
I am quite concerned about the single garage. We need two cars, and the second would always have to be parked outside. Unfortunately, I don’t see a possibility to position the garage differently. If I reserve the minimum 6m (20 feet) on the northern boundary for a double garage, the house would have to move further south. I do not want that.
I look forward to your suggestions.
We will be building with a (related) architect and will tender all trades ourselves. We are aware that this approach involves significant time and financial risks, but we want to take the chance.
It is meant to be our dream house, and we want to be able to decide ourselves how it will look.
Our architect suggested that we first draw our own ideas of how we imagine the house and what is important to us. Afterwards, we will sit down together and analyze the plan step by step.
After days of drawing, I have “designed” a floor plan that our whole family is quite satisfied with.
Here are some details:
Zoning Plan/Restrictions
Plot size: 519m2 (5,585 sq ft)
Slope: no
Site coverage ratio: 0.4
Floor area ratio: not specified
Building window, building line, and boundary – marked with red lines on the picture
Border development
Number of parking spaces: 2
Number of floors: 1.5
Roof type: gable roof, hip roof, half-hip roof
Architectural style
Orientation
Maximum heights/limits
Additional requirements
Client Requirements
Style, roof type, building type: modern barn style, gable roof without overhang
Basement, floors: no basement, 1.5 floors
Number of occupants, ages: 2+2 (6, 9 years old)
Room needs on ground floor and upper floor:
Office: family use or home office? Office with sofa bed
Guest stays per year: approx. 10 days
Open or closed architecture: open
Conservative or modern construction: modern
Open kitchen, kitchen island: yes
Number of dining seats: 6-10 (when guests are present)
Fireplace: not essential
Music/sound system wall
Balcony, roof terrace: not necessary, possibly in the bedroom
Garage, carport: garage
Utility garden, greenhouse
Other wishes/special features/daily routine, including reasons why something should or should not be included
House Design
Planner:
- Planner from a construction company
- Architect
- Do-it-yourself: yes
What do you especially like? Why? Office and WC with the possibility to convert them into a separate living unit (for old age), kitchen island in the middle of the room, back kitchen so appliances don’t have to be on the island, large windows on the undeveloped side, stairs in the living room instead of in a hallway, large master area on the upper floor.
What do you dislike? Why? No double garage due to space constraints. We don’t want to shift the house too far south.
Cost estimate by architect/planner: ???
Personal price limit for the house including fixtures: 600,000
Preferred heating technology: air-to-water heat pump (deep drilling is not allowed due to water protection zone)
If you have to give up certain details/features:
- Can give up: slightly smaller office. However, I like the option of converting the office and WC into a second living unit (for grown children, caregiver, bedroom in old age).
- Cannot give up: open kitchen, back kitchen, large windows to the southwest
Why does the design look the way it does?
I created the design completely independently. A modern, open style is important to us. Since there is an unobstructed view to the west of fields and vineyards, we want to make use of this with large windows.
A separate master area would be very welcome. A luxury bathroom as in this plan would, of course, be a highlight.
An attic is planned for additional storage space.
I am quite concerned about the single garage. We need two cars, and the second would always have to be parked outside. Unfortunately, I don’t see a possibility to position the garage differently. If I reserve the minimum 6m (20 feet) on the northern boundary for a double garage, the house would have to move further south. I do not want that.
I look forward to your suggestions.
I think I would side with your husband and prioritize the rooms over the hallway. I'm also not sure (there are other experts on this) how far the light actually reaches. So whether it achieves the desired effect for the "actual" hallway at all.
Furthermore, the toilet seems quite tight. Is there no window planned there? Personally, I would also place it closer to the main entrance, but that’s a matter of preference.
Furthermore, the toilet seems quite tight. Is there no window planned there? Personally, I would also place it closer to the main entrance, but that’s a matter of preference.
Ysop*** schrieb:
Furthermore, the toilet seems quite cramped to me. Won’t there be a window there?Yes, a window will definitely be installed there. Currently, the toilet measures about 1.5 x 3 m (5 x 10 feet). I think that should be sufficient. The washing machine is planned to be placed on the upper floor. Another option could be to install half of the staircase, connect it with the toilet, and place the washing machine in the stairwell niche.
However, with two children, I find it more practical to have the washing machine upstairs.
Kati.com schrieb:
Well... the double garage is located on the southern boundary 😳. Yes... we actually wanted to avoid this, but now we find this solution to be the most practical. The house can be positioned far to the north, and a southwest-facing terrace with privacy can be built behind the garage.I have to admit that when I first read this, I thought: "good decision." But when I loaded the sketch, I immediately thought this, not as a guess but as a fact:
Ysop*** schrieb:
I’m also not sure (there are other experts) how far the light actually reaches.The garage "covers" more than half of the house’s length and blocks the sun during winter and darker months. Maybe in December between 2 and 4 pm (14 and 16 hours) some sunlight remains before it sets in the southwest. The window and the door in the hallway hardly provide any significant daylight: a) the entrance door is set too far back, and the east window is practically boxed in by two rooms inside, so natural light hardly penetrates inside.
Personally, I already see the beginning of a hallway labyrinth, which itself swallows light around corners.
Also, I wouldn’t like this hallway because it offers neither openness nor a welcoming space for guests.
I would have rather positioned the garage angled on the east side and then placed a carport adjacent, also keeping the house 3 meters (10 feet) away from the north side.
The garage will probably need to be extended another meter (3 feet) to the west, since there must be 5 meters (16 feet) of space in front of garages—if I’m not mistaken 😉
If the sketch is accurate, too much floor space is dedicated to the hallway. The pantry entrance is too far from the main entrance and with only 60 cm (24 inches) of cabinet width is too narrow to offer any advantage over storage space.
ypg schrieb:
The garage actually covers more than half the length of the house and blocks the sun during winter or the darker months. Maybe in December between 2 and 4 pm (14 and 16 h) some sunlight remains before it sets in the southwest. Yes... that is also my concern. Although the garage would be about 40 cm (16 inches) below the house level, I’m afraid the autumn sun won’t care about that.
ypg schrieb:
I would have probably placed the garage diagonally on the east side and then a carport offset next to it, also with the house positioned 3 meters (10 feet) from the north side. Yes, unfortunately it’s not that simple. I spoke with the building authority last week. On the east side, the garage MUST be within the building zone. No exceptions. Why?
1. The plot is located on a curve – traffic safety must be ensured.
2. The neighbor to the north has a very narrow driveway. If I place the garage directly at the edge of their driveway, it will block their line of sight.
So the only option would be a single garage to the north plus a carport somewhere in the southeast...
So: without scrolling back to check exactly what your request was regarding the south-facing window, I don’t see that implemented here at all. It feels like it’s only corridors and hallways. Plan B: In theory, can you place the carport outside the building boundary in the southeast (SE)? Then you would gain exactly the 5 meters (16 feet) that the garage needs at the front for the house.
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